The Digital Divide And Access To Health Information Online

Apr 01, 2011

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) calls for a number of web-based initiatives, including development of the website healthcare.gov which provides a variety of health information and helps individuals find coverage options. Therefore, understanding the level and quality of Internet access among those groups most likely to benefit from reform, such as the uninsured, those with lower incomes, and members of racial and ethnic minority groups, is an important consideration as health reform is implemented. A new Data Note, using data from The Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard University Race and Recession Survey, conducted Jan. 27-Feb. 9, 2011, examines racial and ethnic disparities in the shares who report seeking out health information online, and explores the broader question of how disparities in Internet access might impact the abilities of different groups to access health care information available on the web as part of the ACA.